To high efficiently reduce an aromatic ring to an alicyclic structure and simultaneously reduce a carbonyl group to a hydroxyl group by subjecting a compound having an aromatic ring and a carboxyl group in a molecule to a hydrogenating reduction in the presence of a hydrogenating reduction catalyst comprising an acid-modified ruthenium catalyst.

In this invention, (A) a compound having an aromatic ring and a carbonyl group in a molecule (for example, an aromatic carbonyl compound), e.g. acetophenone is subjected to a hydrogenating reduction in the presence of a hydrogenating reduction catalyst comprising an acid-modified ruthenium catalyst [e.g. a catalyst using 5 wt.% of acid-modified ruthenium metal- carrying active carbon catalyst {using an acidic ruthenium compound (ruthenium chloride) as a ruthenium raw material compound} preferably under 1-100 atmosphere, at 0-300°C, wherein the active carbon is obtained from wood and has a specific surface area of 1,000 m2/g, or the like.